Unionid mussels of the Neosho River drainage.

Abstract

From September, 1975, through October, 1976, unionid mussels from the Neosho River drainage were collected and identified. The results of this study were compared with the work of Murray and Leonard (1962). Over 2,JOO specimens of unionid mussels representing J2 species were collected. Murray and Leonard (1962) reported J7 species in the Neosho River drainage at the time of their study. Of the five species not found in this study, three were assumed to be extinct in Kansas waters since there has been no reports of their occurrence for many years. The other two species are assumed to still exist in the Neosho River drainage but were not found in this study, probably due to inadequate collecting. The range and distribution of several species of unionid mussels were found to differ from that reported by Murray and Leonard. Water temperature and turbidity data were obtained at each collecting site in this study. Those data were compared to data from the time of the Murray and Leonard (1962) study when such data could be found. Comparable water temperatures had not differed significantly since the Murray and Leonard study. No turbidity data was available from the Murray and Leonard study and no comparison could be made.